One of Our Planets Is Missing
' |image= |series= |production=22007 |producer(s)= |story= |script=Marc Daniels |director=Hal Sutherland |imdbref=tt0832418 |guests= |previous_production=The Lorelei Signal |next_production=Mudd's Passion |episode=TAS A03 |airdate=22 September 1973 |previous_release=Yesteryear |next_release=The Lorelei Signal |story_date(s)=Stardate 5371.3 |previous_story=Yesteryear |next_story=The Lorelei Signal }} =Summary= The Enterprise encounters a giant cloud that consumes planets that lie in its path. They determine it is heading for Mantilles, home to a Federation colony governed by retired Starfleet officer Robert Wesley. The Enterprise must discover a way to head off this threat before Mantilles is destroyed. Captain Kirk takes the Enterprise inside the cloud in an attempt to stop it. Avoiding obstacles and proceeding from one chamber to another, the ship begins to lose power. One chamber apparently contains protrusions consisting of pure anti-matter which Chief Engineer Scott can beam aboard in a special container and use to replenish the Warp drive engines. Science Officer Spock realizes that the cloud is an intelligent being which can be reasoned with. As an act of last resort, Kirk orders preparations be made for self-destructing the Enterprise in the creature's brain in an attempt to stop it before Mantilles if necessary. Spock uses a Vulcan mind meld to link with the entity and tells it that it is killing life by allowing it to perceive them through Spock's own eyes and attempts to persuade it to return to its place of origin. The creature then comprehends that its source of food — planets — are populated by many small living beings. Not wanting to kill other life forms, it agrees to leave the Enterprise alone and to depart from this galaxy. =Errors and Explanations= Nit Central # Benn (Benn) on Friday, January 05, 2007 - 12:06 pm: In order to reach Alondra so quickly and to be a threat to Mantilles, the anti-matter cloud must be moving at a very high speed, possibly warp speed. Yet no one comments on this. If it's not moving at warp speed or somewhat less, then surely there'd be time to evacuate Mantilles. (And as know from watching this ep, there isn't.) The speed of the cloud could vary depending on the strength of the gravitational forces in the area. # Why does the anti-matter cloud have to return to its point of origin? Why couldn't Starfleet establish some means of further communication with it and direct it to dead (or otherwise lifeless) planets and dead stars? It's quite possible the anti-matter cloud could teach the Federation a lot. The cloud didn't realise it was devouring inhabited world until the mind link with Spock, so how is it expected to be able to tell the difference? Sending it back to it's point of origin is the safest option. # Kirk and crew sure treat this cloud creature a lot differently than they did the one in "Obsession". They let this one live. 'There isn't enough anti-matter available to make a bomb capable of destroying this cloud.'Episode entry on Nit Central website =Notes= =Sources= Category:The Animated Series Category:Episodes